Forestry Tasmania Guest Speaker

Brenton and President Gleeson

Our speaker for this meeting was Brenton Jansen, Community Liaison Officer for Forestry Tasmania in the Murchison District. He explained to us about the forestry practises and dispelled some of the misconceptions people have about forestry in Tasmania. Brenton explained that they follow strict guidelines and procedures to ensure that the environment is cared for and that forestry is managed for optimum community benefits using environmentally best practises that ensure long term wealth and employment for Tasmanians. This includes reforestation using seeds grown from the original forest. He also emphasised there was no more use of 1080 poison, and they now use culling methods that include humane traps and shooters and other techniques (ie. 'chess pieces' and 'scare crows'!) to stop possums etc from eating the young growth.

Forestry Tasmania harvests and regenerates about one percent of State forest each year, without using any chemicals – no herbicides, no pesticides and no wildlife poison. Neither do they turn native forest into plantations any more. Also the plantation forests now operate on 90 year cycles, allowing for the storing of carbon, providing habitat for wildlife and protecting biodiversity until the cycle of harvesting and regeneration begins again.

Brenton's job is to develop relationships in his District and provide a friendly first point of contact for members of the public wishing to discuss issues relating to State forest. You can email brenton or call him on 6434 6323.